Vending-machine.



No. 761,351. PATBNTBD MAY 31, 1904.

VBN'DING MACHINE. .APPLICATION FILED AUG. 22'. 1902.

.N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2A HHH Y 'Wizemrwk- 4 Zwaar/Lowe NNNNNNNNNNNNN E,

IIIIIIIIIIIIII En AUG z2 1902.

Patented May 31, 1904-. f

v lUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK `J. BEBER, OFICHIOAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF lIWO-lI-IIRDS TO .BERNARD S. AUSTRIAN AND OHARLESS.' ROSENTHAL, OF CHICAGO,-

ILLINOIS. v A

vENDlNG-MACHINE.

ySPIECI [FICAIIEON forming part of Letters Patent No. 761,351, dated May 31,1904.

Application led August 22, 1902.

T @Uu/712cm it may concern:

Beit known that I, FRANK J. BETER, of Ohicago, in the county of Cook and State ofl Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in` Vending Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,

clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the .letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of" this' specication.

This invention relates to an improvement in vending-machines of .that class usually actuated by a coin-controlled mechanism. v

The invention as herein shown is applied to a 'cigar-vending machine; but it will be obvious from the following description that certain of the features thereof may be applied tomahinesjor vending other articles of merchan- 1-se. f

The invention consists of the matters hereinafter set forth, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a transverse vertical section of a vending-machine embodying the improvements constituting my invention. Fig. l* is a sectional detail taken on line 1a 1a of Fig. l. Fig. 2 is a front elevation'of the principal parts of the mechanism for releasing the articles of merchandise oneby one from the machine. Fig. 3 is a rear perspective view of the parts of the machine shown in Fig. 2.

Y Fig. 4L is a diagrammatic plan view ofthe releasing-belt cut and stretched fiat.

' As shown inthe drawings,- the casing containing tliev'ending mechanism and the mercigar-box with the lid thrown backwardly, as

shown in Fig. l, whereby the cigars and the label aredisplayed through the front transsel-m Nt. 120,650. (No man.)

parent wall inthe same manner as cigars are displayed in aselling-case. Moreover, by reason of the transparent rear wall ct, the revenue-stamps and factory notices on the box are also displayed. The vfront wall a of theupper section of the casing, consisting principally of glass, as aforesaid, is preferably hinged at one side to the end wall from the upper section, the

hinges being shown at a2. The cigar-box B is nal and transverse strips o', respectively, which intersectto form a plurality of rectangular pockets, 'which' are occupied by the lower ends of the cigars. The strips from which the rack B is lmade may be of sufficient width to -hold the cigars in vertical positions; but I prefer to use 1n connectlon with a narrow rack B a supplemental rack B2 at the upper side of the box. t v,Said supplemental rack, as herein shown, consists of'a horizontal piece of cardboard or like material provided with a plurality of openings, lwhich vare located vertically over and register with the pockets of the lower rack and which are adapted to receive the upper-ends of the cigars. The lower wall of the box Bis removed from the box after the latter-'has been inserted into the upper section'iof .the case inthe manner shown inFiga-@Lv'solat this time 'the lower ends of thefci'gars'rest on the ypart ofthe vending mechanism, which is constructed to release the cigars one at a timein a manner to be hereinafter described. In Fig. 2 the end walls of the b ox are shown as providediattheirlower inner margins with inwardly-opening of the box has been removed.y

The mechanism for releasing the cigars one at a time from the box B consists generally of an endless belt or band C, the upper lap of which is horizontal and parallel with the lower part of the cigar-box and constitutes when the lower wall of the box is removed a support for the cigars, said cigars resting on end on said band or belt, as 4indicated in Fig. Q. Said releasing band or belt is endless and is trained about horizontal rollers c c c2 c3, mounted in a suitable frame which is located in the lower section of the casing. Said frame embraces a horizontal base D, which rests on the bottom wall of the lower section of the casing. Rising from said base D are four corner posts or standards D', and the upper ends of the standards of each pair at the ends of the base-board are connected by a transverse member D2. The connected pair of posts D at the opposite ends of the frame are connected by longitudinal frame members D3, one on each side of the frame and near the upper part thereof, and said longitudinal members extend from one pair of standards to the other.

The rollers c, c'., and c2 are provided with axial trunnions, which are rotatively mounted in suitable bearings in the posts or standards D, the rollers c c being mounted between the upper ends of said posts and the 'roller c2 being rotatively mounted between the lower endsV of the posts at one end of the frame. The roller c3 constitutes part of a tension device whereby the belt or band C is maintained in proper tension notwithstanding stretching of the belt. The trunnions of said rollers are mounted in the free ends of vertically-swinging arms E E, which are pivoted to clips e, attached to the upper face of the base-board D between the roller and the longitudinal center of said frame. As herein shown, said arms E areY made from a single integral rod, the connecting or transverse part E thereof constituting the pivot for said arms. The free ends of the arms are drawn downwardly toward the base-board by means of two spiral contractile springs E2, each attached at one end to one of thearms and at its other end to the base-board. Said springs exert their tension against the belt and maintain the belt taut. The belt-rollers c c' at the upper end of the frame are located with their axes of rotation in the same plane, so that the part of the belt between said rollers is horizontal and, as before stated, is located below the open end of the box and constitutes the support for the cigars in the rack of said box. Said belt is provided throughout its length with a plurality of releasing-apertures c4 equal .in number to that of the longitudinal rows of cigars in the box B. Said openings c4 are located out of alinement with respect to each other a distance equal to the distance between adjacent longitudinal rows of cigars in the box or the rows of pockets containing the cigars, so that in each complete turn of the belt each of the openings will pass beneath one of the rows of pockets ofthe rack. Said openings c4 are also separated longitudinally of the belta distance equal to the length of the rows of cigars, so that when one of the openings passes from beneath its associated row of cigars or the pockets containing the same the next adjacent opening will be passed beneath the next row ot cigars in position to successively release the cigars therein as the belt is given a step-by-step movement.

The operation is continued until all oi the rows of cigars have been' released. As the machine shown is designed the contents of one box is released in each complete rotation of the belt. As herein shown the box is designed to hold four rows of cigars, and the belt is therefore provided with tour openings c, located laterally'out of alinement with each-other and each adapted to pass beneath one of the rows of cigars. The belt may be made as wide or narrow as necessary to accommodate the number of rows of cigars contained in the box. Thecigars are dropped through said releasing openings c" downwardly into a suitably-shaped chute F, located beneath the upper lap of the releasing-belt to receive the same, and said chute extends ontwardly through an opening in the front wall of the box, so as to deliver each cigar as it is released from the box to the outside thereof', as shown in Fig. l. I

One of the rollers c c c2 (the roller c as herein shown) is a driven roller, being provided with a gear-pinion c', adapted to mesh with gear mechanism of an actuating mechanism. as will hereinafter more fully appear. In order to impart to the belt a positive movement from the driving-roller c', the belt is herein shown as provided on one margin thereof with a plurality of apertures cl, which are adapted to be engaged by teeth c7 on one end of said roller c. Said apertures are metal bound and, as herein shown, are formed by inserting eyelets through one margin ot the belt.

As before stated, the releasing-belt is adapted to be given a stepby step movement through the agency of a coin-controlled mechanism, and I may apply for this purpose any form of coin -controlled mechanism may be adapted to themachineherein shown. As shown in the drawings, (Jr designates a rotative gear-wheel which constitutes part of a coin-controlled mechanism, and said gearwheel meshes with the gear-pinion C, fixed to the trunnion of the rollers c'. On thel shaft ,f/ of said gear-wheel G is mounted a ratchetwheel G,which is adapted forengagementby IOC which a pawl g', constructed to prevent retrograde movement of the gear-wheel and therethrough the releasmg-belt. The dlrectlon ot rotation of the gear-wheel remains the same throughuniformly from left to right.

out the operation ofthe machine, so that the direction of movement of the upper horizontal or active-portion of the releasing-belt is i It will be observed from the foregoing tha the direction of travel of the belt is continuous and that it is never necessary, therefore, to retract or reset the belt at the end] of a movement thereof, such as would be necessaryifthe releasing device, as the belt were resetting mechanism for the belt or other likereleasing member, so that the actuating mechanism for the belt may .be made very simple and reliable. l

The belt is supported midway between the rollersfc c by means of a bracket H, which consists of a horizontal part 7L, extending transversely beneath the releasing belt and downturned end portions 7i li', which are attached to the longitudinal members or bars D3 of the frame. The horizontal supporting part of said bracket is cut away to provide openings through which cigars released through the belt may fall. In assembling this part of the mechanism the openings in said bracket are located vertically beneath the pockets in the rack of the cigar-box, so that said bracket shall not interfere with the dropping of the cigars through said belt. Y

The box B is supported on the belt-frame described, said box extending between and being supported at its-ends upon the transverse members D2 of said frame. As herein shown, said box engages horizontal transversely-arranged guide-bars I I, attached to.

' tions of said bars are turned inwardly toward each other at the rear ends thereof to afford stops to limit the rearward movement of the box on said 4frame to insure that the same shall stop with the pockets of the cigar-rack per sections of the case, as shown in Fig. 4,

and are adapted to hook over the front margins of the end walls. Said latches are placed under the inliuence of spiral contractile springs J each of which is attached at one I wall in such manner as to force said box tightly against the tops c' of the guides I. The box is also held from rising by means of spring-arms K, which are attached to the rear walls of the box at the sides of the glass portion thereof and extend forwardly and. adapted for engagement at their free ends with the top wall of the cigarbox in the manner shownin Fig. l. rIhe outer ends of said arms are turned upwardly to facilitate the entranceof the box beneath the same in placing a box in saidA casing.

' IIn practice the end wall of the casing may be made removable, so that the belt-frame and superposed cigar-box may be withdrawn from the end of the case. In this event the partof the cigar-chute contained in thecasing will be removable with the casing and the part F', located outside the casing, willbemade a separate part and attached to the front casing-wall. The belt-frame and cigar-box are shown removed from the casing in Figs. 2 and 3.

. Certain of lthe features herein shown may be employed in other relations-as, for instance, the releasing-belt may be associated with acasing of different form and cooperate IOO 1. 'A vending-machine comprising an endless belt, a portion of which constitutes a support for the articles to be vended, rollers over which said belt is trained, interlocking connections between one of said rollers andthe belt, means for imparting to said last-mentioned roller a step-by-step movement continuously in one direction and means for sustaining the articles to be vended in rows parallel with the direction of movement of the belt, said belt -being providedv with a plurality of release-openings arranged longitudinally of the beltand located laterally out of alinement with each other and each adapted to be passed beneath one of the rows of said articles.l

2. -A vending-machine comprising an endless belt, a portion of which constitutes a support for the articles to be vended, rollers over which said belt is trained, said belt being provided with aplurality of apertures or sockets arranged parallel with the direction of travel of the belt, teethon one `of said rollers adapted to engage said apertures of the belt to drive the saine, means for impartinga step-by-step IIO movement to said toothed roller and means vfor sustaining said articles to be vended in rows parallel with the direction of travel of said belt, said belt being provided with a plurality of longitudinally-arranged release-openings n 'which are located laterally out of line with respect to each other.

3. A vending-machine comprising an endless belt, a portion of which constitutes a support for the articles to be vended, rollers over which said belt is trained, said belt being provided with a row of apertures or sockets arranged parallel with the direction of travel of the belt, teeth on one of said rollers adapted to engage said apertures in the belt Jfor driving the belt, means for imparting a step-bystep movement to said toothed roller, a tension device engaging the belt for maintaining the same taut, and means for sustaining the articles to be vended in rows parallel With the direction of movement of said belt, said belt being provided, longitudinally thereof, with a plurality of release-openings arranged laterally out of alinement with respect to each other.

4. A cigar-vel'iding machine comprising a casing, means for supporting in the upper part of the casing a box of cigars, said upper part of the casing being made of suiiicient height to permit a box of cigars to be displayed therein with the lid thereof thrown baelnvardly, the front wall of the box being provided with a swinging or movable door adapted to permit ingress and egress of the box, and said door being made transparent to permit the displayT 

